Wrench



Aprill l, 1930. c. B. GARTRELL WRENCH Filed Nov. 26, 1928 o vwentoz Charlar CfzzrZTeZL,

. attorney Wijf ne sa www. M.

Patented Apr. l, 1930 UNTED STATES PATENT lori-1ct WRENCH Application led November 26, 1928.

My invention relates to wrenches ot the quick adjustable type and one object is to provide a wrench of this character whereby the finest adjustment of the jaws can be had Jor 5 the purpose ot firmly gripping nuts or other articles of diiferent sizes.

Another object is the provision of a wrench having a rotatabie nut which can be thrown n mesh with a threaded portion ot the E@ vren'ch tor the purpose of adjusting the jaws in the usual way, or can be thrown out of mesh with said threaded portion to perniit quick adjustment ot the jaws.

further object of the invention is the provision ot a wrench which consists of but i'cw parts and is ot simple, durable construction and well adapted to withstand the strains to which tools ot this character are ordinarily subjected.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wrench made in accordance with the invention and with the rotatable nut inter-meshing with the threaded portion of the wrench so that the jaws may be adjusted in the usual way.

Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the wrench with the rotatable nut thrown out ot' Ff' engagement with the threaded portion of the wrench so that the jaws can be quickly adjusted towards or away trom each other..

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on lines 33 and 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.

F ig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the rotary nut and a member in which it is mounted.

Fig. 6 is a broken side elevation ot a moditied form ot' wrench made in accordance with the invention.

Referring in detail to the different parts, 2 designates a shank provided at one end with a handle 4 and at its other end with a fixed jaw 6. A

8 designates a housing having a hollow portion 9 through which the shank 2 freely extends. Said housing 8 is provided with a jaw 10 which can be moved back and 'forth on the 5S shank 2 with the housing 8 and has an open- Vshaped form and-has two resilient arms-22 oryother article itis toundthat the-nut1 16 Serial N o. 322,040.

Ving 12 for a purpose which will hereinafter ljust the housingS with its jaw lOtowards -or away from the fixed jaw 6. The nut 16 has continuous threads 15 intermeshing with the threads 18 and is mounted uponra `shaft, 17 carried Vby the member 14.

' The nut carrying member 14 ismounted upon a pivot 20 extending through the opening 12 and supported by the housing 8. The nut carrying member 14 is preferablyor" U- 6o adapted to trictionally engage the adjacent sides of the openmgl12 and hold said member 14 inthe position shown byfligs: 1 and 8.

The movement of the nut'carrying member 14 in one direction is llimited :by lugs-24 YG l projecting from the arms 22 and adapted to' contact the sides of the opening 12,5Figs; 1 4and 3, while themovement of said nut carrying member`14 int-he opposite direction vis limited by itscorner26 contacting the'adjacent endoi the opening` 12, Figs; 2z and- 4.

1li/'hen the jaws 6- and 10 a-re-tVo-ibeadjusted inthe ordinary way the nut-16is leftin mesh -with the threads 18 as shownby Figs 1 and LSybut when quick adjustmentof saidI jawsis desired the nut 16-isswung'bodily out of engagement with 'the threads-18 tovtheposition disclosed by Figs. 2-and- 4. It after-making a quick adjustment of the jaws tofgrip a nut cannot be swung back *intov mesh with the kthreads 18 onaccount or" contacting the sides of-theflatter, the'housingSy may be moved `back a=short distance to permit thethreads 15 to properlyintermesh with the threads `18, *59 after which the'jaws may be adjusted tormly grip -andholdlthe article by rotating the lnut 16 in the proper direction.

1n thev modiiied :form disclosed-by Fig-` 6 the construction and operation ofthe parts is J5 similar to that of the parts disclosed by' Figs. -1 to 4,inclusi=ve, as is evidenced by correspondingsreterencenumerals with-exponents a, the main diierence being that the movable jaw 10a is fixed to the threaded shank 2a. 335

while the nut 16a is rotated only to effect adjustment of the jaw 10a and does not move longitudinally with said jaw.

Freni the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a Wrench embodying the advantages above pointed out, and while I have shoivn tivo forms of said Wrench I reserve all rights to such other forms and modifications as properly fall g within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

f1 l. A Wrench consisting of a threaded portion having a iXed jaw at one end and a handle at its opposite end, a housing slidably mounted upon the threaded portion oi". the wrench and provided with a jaw and an open- 21) ing, a nut having external threads for engagement with the threaded portion of the Wrench, a shaft extending axially through said nut, a U-sha red member carrying said shaft and operably mounted in the opening in the housing so that it may carry said nut in and out of engagement With the threaded portion of the Wrench, said U-shaped member having two resilient arms for rictionally engaging the adjacent sides of the housing :se opening to hold the nut in engagement with the threaded portion of the Wrench, and a member projecting from one of said arms for engaging the housing and checking the movement of the U-shaped member after the same has been adjusted to carry the nut into engagement with the threaded portion of the wrench.

2. A Wrench consisting of a threaded portion having a fixed jaw at one end and a han- 40 dle at its opposite end, a housing slidably mounted upon the threaded portion of the wrench and provided with a jaw and an opening, a nut having external threads for engagement with the threaded portion of the 45 Wrench, a shaft extending axially through said nut, a U-shaped member carrying said shaft and operably mounted in the opening in the housing so that it may carry said nut in and out of engagement with the threaded portion of the Wrench, said U-shaped member having a corner for engaging the adjacent end of the opening and thereby limiting the movement of the U-shaped member When the same is adjusted to carry the nut out of engagement with the threaded portion of the Wrench, and means projecting from the U- shaped member for engaging the housing and checking the movement of said U-shaped member when the latter is adjusted to carry n; the nut into engagement with the threaded portion ot the Wrench.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

CHARLES B. GARTRELL. 

